Late autumn glory: crocuses and colchicums still at it!

Now Ellen! I don’t decry your lovely shots of snow, but flowers are still
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Denver’s really secret garden….shhhhh!

Purple Dutch Crocus (Crocus vernus 'Remembrance')

Nearly ten years ago the seeds for a remarkable garden were planted when Wellington
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And even MORE early blossoms…

This Week at the Gardens: February 18th

Brave Little Croci

Partly Winter with a Chance of Spring
Although I am a big fan of winter at the Gardens—and I’m not the only one—about this time of year I can’t help but keep my eyes open for the earliest signs of spring’s approach.
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Yeegads! Bulborama!

Wild Cyclamen persicum growing in Lonsdale alpine house

The one category of plants most underused in Colorado has to be bulbs.
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What’s happening in the Rock Alpine Garden this week? A few new treasures are in bloom

Saturday’s warm weather drew out more bulbs and other early bloomers, and finally its beginning to look like March should.  March belongs to several genera in the rock garden, Crocus, Galanthus and Helleborus are just a few genera that shine in March.  I hope to do a blog on both Galanthus and Helleborus in due time.

First we will revisit the genus Crocus, the main focus of last week’s blog. 
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Is it Spring Yet? Early bulbs and other Harbingers of spring starting in Rock Alpine Garden

While the official solar start of spring is still eight days away on March 20th, I think it is safe to say that spring has sprung in the Rock Alpine Garden. True, there may be many more snow storms and still plenty of mornings to scrape ice off of windshields, but the true harbingers of spring are in full glory now. Other gardens at Denver Botanic Gardens are showing signs of spring as well, but  few do it with such diversity as the Rock Alpine Garden (RAG).  Three species of Galanthus, at least five species of Crocus, three species of  Helleborus, Erica carnea, Draba aizoides,  Jasminum nudiflorum, Cyclamen, Scilla and Iris reticulata are just part of the parade that will change almost daily now that it is March.

Crocus are one of the most famous flowers of spring but most of us think about or photograph them open in the sun, Monday’s cloudy skies allowed me to photograph them closed up revealing the often highly patterned  or colorful reverse.  

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In Bloom at the Gardens: Week of February 27

First Crocus at the Gardens

I checked my gardening journal this week. (I start each spring with good intentions, but writing in the journal occurs in inverse proportion to the amount of work that needs to be done in the garden!) I have been imagining that this winter has been longer and colder than recent winters. I wanted to verify that perception, using my crocus-o-meter.
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